


Silence and Quietude

by hobbit_hedgehog



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Homesickness, Introspection, M/M, Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Yuri!!! on Ice Secret Valentine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 03:42:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9698036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbit_hedgehog/pseuds/hobbit_hedgehog
Summary: Silence•	noun•	si•lence•	\'sī-lǝn(t)s\1. forbearance from speech or noise2. absence of sound or noiseQuietude•	noun•	qui•etude•	\'kwī-ǝ-tüd,-tyüd\1. a state of freedom from storm or disturbance2. the near or complete absence of sound





	

**Author's Note:**

> One of these days I'll write something for the YOI Fandom that's actually plot based and isn't just an exercise in descriptive writing. One day. This is my entry for the Yuri!!! on Ice Secret Valentine on tumblr. My Valentine was khiarhu, and I hope he likes it! It's a day early, but I was too impatient to wait until tomorrow.
> 
> Happy (early) Valentine's Day folks, have a good one!

**_Silence_ **

  * _noun_
  * _si_ _lence_
  * _\'s_ _ī-l_ _ǝn(t)s\_


  1. _forbearance from speech or noise_
  2. _absence of sound or noise_



There was an enchanting quality to the silence of 3am, Yuuri found.  While the basic premise of nighttime silence was the same everywhere, there was a snowflake-like uniqueness that Yuuri had found during his international travels.  The heartbeat of the city of Saint Petersburg had slowed to a near standstill, the quiet broken sporadically by a passing car or the footsteps of a night owl not yet retired for the evening.  The light of the city filtered through an opening in the curtain of Yuuri and Victor's shared bedroom, a soft glow that wasn't strong enough to wake the still slumbering Victor next to Yuuri, but still cast gentle shadows against the adjacent wall.  The apartment was far enough from the Neva River that the natural sounds couldn't be heard, but it was close enough to be seen from the window of the living room.  Saint Petersburg was vastly different from what Yuuri had been accustomed to, having come from a small town like Hasetsu, but Yuuri was learning to call Saint Petersburg, and its particular brand of quiet, home.

Yuuri had been awake for a while, what felt like hours despite it probably only being minutes.  Makkachin had barked in his sleep, and while Yuuri was usually a heavy sleeper, Yuuri had woken and had not been to fall back asleep.  Instead, he turned to his favorite late night pastime: thinking, probably a little too much.  That night's particular train of thought had taken the form of mild homesickness and the speed at which he had adapted to life in a new country.  Yuuri had the same thoughts years ago when he first moved to Detroit, so he was familiar with the feeling.  But it was different this time, Yuuri realized.  It was less crippling anxieties, more quiet observations.

Victor had made every effort to help Yuuri settle into his new life in Russia, as had the entirety of the Russian Figure Skating Team.  They made him feel welcome both on the ice and off, inviting Yuuri on outings both with and without Victor.  While Yuuri's Russian was still shaky, he was gradually picking up the language and becoming more confident in his day to day conversations.  He could even figure out his way to the ice rink and back home to their apartment without Victor's help.  Victor frequently expressed his pride in Yuuri's fast adaptability, and it helped with Yuuri's own self confidence.  Victor and Yuuri both knew that Yuuri would be able to settle in on his own in time, he had done it before, but it was nice that Yuuri had the support of people he knew this time around.

Still, for all of his growth, Yuuri couldn't shake the feeling of homesickness that welled up every time he couldn't sleep.  Saint Petersburg may be where he lived, but it had yet to become home.  As big as Detroit was, Saint Petersburg was bigger, not just in terms of city size, but population density.  Hasetsu paled in comparison.  Hatsetsu and Saint Petersburg were both port cities, but Hasetsu had an intimacy that Saint Petersburg could never have.  Saint Petersburg was only ever quiet at night, Hatsetsu was quiet always.  Saint Petersburg had so much to offer, but Hastetsu had his family, the Nishigoris, Minako-sensei.  Yuuri was vastly outside his comfort zone and yet, it wasn't as bad as it could be, he supposed.

 _'I wonder when 3 in the morning will feel as natural in Saint Petersburg as it did in Hatsetsu,'_ Yuuri thought as he stared at the slit in the curtains.

A quiet snuffling tore Yuuri from his musings with a small jump.  Yuuri snapped his head to the side and dropped his gaze to Victor, wondering if he had somehow woken his fiancé.  Victor rolled onto his stomach, clutching the pillow tight as he nuzzled it.  After a few moments of this, Victor's breathing evened out as he slid back into a deep sleep.  Yuuri smiled at his fiancé and softly brushed the bangs away from Victor's forehead.  He really did look peaceful like this…

A warm feeling welled up inside Yuuri as he gazed at Victor.  Saint Petersburg may not be home yet, but Yuuri was certain of one thing: Where ever Victor was, that was home.  His anxieties about moving weren't going to vanish overnight, Yuuri knew that.  But for now, Yuuri could cope, and he was happy.  He was loved, and that could be a good enough placeholder until Saint Petersburg became home.  With one last gentle sigh, Yuuri kissed Victor's temple and settled back against the pillows.  He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.  Silence permeated the room, broken only by quiet snores and passing cars.

***

  ** _Quietude_**

  * _noun_
  * _qui_ _etude_
  * _\'kw_ _ī-_ _ǝ-t_ _üd,-ty_ _üd\_


  1. _a state of freedom from storm or disturbance_
  2. _the near or complete absence of sound_



Yuuri always looked more peaceful asleep than he did when he was awake, Victor thought as he gazed at his sleeping fiancé.  His sleeping beauty, he mused with a soft grin.  Yuuri had gotten better at managing his anxiety now that he was in the off season, with the Grand Prix, the Four Continents and Worlds behind him, but Victor could always tell when something was eating at Yuuri.  He would tense and he tended to flub his jumps.  The first week they had moved to Saint Petersburg had been especially bad, but now that it had been a few months, Yuuri was doing much better.  Although, Yuuri had been a little off during practice today…

Victor knew he was still less than fluent in Yuuri which, after spending over a year with him, was frustrating to Victor.  There were times where he'd say something he thought was constructive or appropriate, only to receive a startled look or be snapped at in return.  Victor still walked on eggshells, and he knew it.  Emotions could be difficult.  Asking Yuuri to move to Russia with him had been difficult, if not a little selfish.  But Yuuri was patient, and Yuuri was understanding.  He knew that Victor still had a hard time with knowing what to say.  And he knew how important it had been to Victor that Victor trained with Yakov.  So Yuuri agreed to move to Russia with Victor.  Victor knew that Yuuri was homesick, he could see it in Yuuri's skating, in the way Yuuri gazed towards the Baltic Sea, in the way Yuuri's eyes watered after ending Skype conversations with his family.  So Victor did his best to make Yuuri feel welcome in Russia, and Yuuri did his best to let Victor in when he was feeling particularly anxious.  It was a work in progress, and Victor was proud of how far they had come.

Victor settled back against the pillows and pulled Yuuri close, careful not to wake him.  He pressed a light kiss to Yuuri's forehead and whispered, "Thank you for meeting me where I am."  Yuuri didn't respond, but nuzzled against Victor's chest and Victor beamed.  He gave Yuuri a quick squeeze before closing his eyes and drifting back to sleep, quietude returning to the room once more.


End file.
